Two of her three Republican challengers still lead Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri’s 2012 U.S. Senate race but by slightly narrower margins.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Missouri finds former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman ahead of McCaskill by seven points – 49% to 42%. Steelman had a 10-point lead a month ago. Two percent (2%) still prefer another candidate given this matchup, and six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Congressman Todd Akin posts a five-point lead over McCaskill – 48% to 43%. Two percent (2%) like someone else in the race, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. Last month, Akin led by seven.

The incumbent also trailed retired businessman John Brunner by seven points in mid-March, but now the two run dead even with 45% support each. Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.

This Missouri survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on April 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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